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ShardPhoenix comments on Jews and Nazis: a version of dust specks vs torture - Less Wrong
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Wait, what was the conclusion of dust specks? I'm guess "torture", but then, why is this conclusion so strong and obvious (after the fact)? I had always been on the dust specks side, for a few reasons, but I'd like to know why this position is so ridiculous, and I don't know even despite having participated in those threads.
The problem attempts to define the situation so that "torture" is utility maximizing. Therefore if you are a utility maximizer, "torture" is the implied choice. The problem is meant to illustrate that in extreme cases utility maximization can (rightly or wrongly) lead to decisions that are counter-intuitive to our limited human imaginations.